A “pulse generator” or “pulser” is an electronic device used to inject a pulse into a circuit of interest. Pulsers are commonly used for the purpose of testing digital electronic circuits, but may be useful for any device that operates with a pulse input signal. For example, pulse generators may be used to drive devices such as switches and lasers. Other applications include applying electrical pulses in the fields of material science, medical, physics and chemistry.
A pulser induces changes of state (high to low, or low to high) at appropriate points in a circuit. The pulser may be used to inject a single pulse, a fixed number (burst) of pulses, or a continuous train of pulses.
In simple configurations, pulsers are single-channel devices that provide one output with a single frequency, delay, and width. To produce multiple pulses, these simple pulsers can be ganged in series or in parallel.
More sophisticated pulsers may have various features that allow for control of the pulse repetition rate, pulse width, pulse delay, pulse amplitude and/or the rise time and fall time of the pulses. Pulsers may use digital techniques, analog techniques, or a combination of both techniques to form the output pulses. For example, the pulse repetition rate and duration may be digitally controlled, but the pulse amplitude and rise and fall times determined by analog circuitry in the output stage of the pulser.
For some applications, it may be desirable to provide a pulser that can operate in high radiation conditions. However, much of today's semiconductor devices are prone to various operating issues when exposed to high levels of radiation.